


pouring starlight

by painttheworldinpastels



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Cottagecore, Familiars, Fluff, M/M, Urban Fantasy, Witches, mortal!jeno, witch!hyuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26393239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/painttheworldinpastels/pseuds/painttheworldinpastels
Summary: "Mister Jeno, could you tell me a story?"Jeno hoists the kid up onto his lap. "Is there anything you want to hear?""Magic! I want magic!""Alright then. Let me tell you the story of a friendship between a man and a magical cat, a beautful tuxedo maine coon," Jeno glances at Donghyuck, who was playing tag with some of the other kids at the orphanage, "and how he and the cat's owner, a powerful, young witch, fell in love along the way."
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Comments: 24
Kudos: 119
Collections: NOHYUCK FEST: 정답!





	pouring starlight

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration [ 1 ](https://youtu.be/nfrW2hDn_uQ) and [ 2 ](https://youtu.be/avn7brkxmmo) for Hyuck's fairytale home, but feel free to imagine it as you like!
> 
> [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VaHFNQ8IjwjMcY6gL6zyp?si=HA29BFwzQuetSXsbsvgxGQ)

There's lots of things that Jeno enjoys about living in his new neighborhood.

For one, he now lives in one of those fancy gated villages that he used to think were only reserved for rich people. It's a bit pricier than what a regular cramped apartment downtown would have cost, but it's nearer to his workplace, security is better, he has access to multiple amenities including but not limited to the public pool and the community center, and he gets more than just a 100 square meters.

(Not that he needs that much space, since he lives alone, but the thought of having all that to himself is nice.)

His neighbors are nice, too. There's a elderly woman a couple of doors down who welcomes him with freshly baked cookies, and the couple who lives across the street has a sweet little girl who says he looks like a fairytale prince. It's the best compliment he's ever gotten in his life.

However, he gets confused when the little girl goes on to say that he should be careful of the evil witch who'll want to kidnap a prince like him. The girl points to the house next to Jeno's and he notices something that was _definitely_ not included in the real estate listing.

The house next door is little more than a cottage. Whoever lives in it has some hardcore cottagecore vibes going on, from the pointy triangular roof to the singular window next to a heavy-looking oak door. The walls are wooden paneling and the roof is lined with curved, cedar shingles. On the side of the roof is a giant glass panel, which Jeno assumes is a bedroom area. Or maybe a stargazing nook.

There's even a dainty metal chimney that blows out smoke, even though it's the middle of summer. The house is surrounded by a garden with everything in full bloom, from fruit trees to flower bushes to little vegetable patches on the ground. There's a paved pathway leading away from the little hut, and only a shrubbery wall separates the whimsical property from Jeno's own.

Logically speaking, it should be broken down by the next storm, but the folks around here swear that it has been standing there for decades. It looks out of place in the middle of all the modern structures around it, but it's also very charming. Jeno wonders why the girl is so scared of it, but when he turns to ask, the little girl has run away.

The third reason why he's so in love with his new home is quite trivial: delivery and mail people find the area a lot easier on Google Maps, and thus he gets his mail on the first delivery try instead of needing to estimate the arrival time and having to camp out in front of his gate just so his packages don't get shipped back to the senders. No more marching all the way to the post office in another city for a letter sent by a friend in Japan, for starters, and to Jeno that is the second greatest perk of living in his new home.

The _actual_ greatest perk is that he is surrounded by nature.

And by nature, he means cats.

There is a seemingly endless line of stray cats that show up outside Jeno's door without prompting. He used to put aside portions of his meals for them, but a couple of weeks in and their volume of consumption was too unsustainable, so he had to start buying cat food. He doesn't mind all that much; what's a portion of his paycheck in return for all his new feline friends, anyway?

Jeno doesn't like picking favorites, but there is one cat in particular that Jeno loves just a little bit more than the others; a tuxedo maine coon with the brightest eyes he's ever seen on a cat and a dark blue collar with two things dangling off of it: a sterling silver charm shaped like a star and a clear quartz stone. The leather collar has the words _Tuffy_ engraved on it, and Jeno assumes that it is the gorgeous creature's name.

Tuffy never stays for dinner, and Tuffy never eats when offered food. Jeno even bought the expensive, premium brand cat food thinking that Tuffy is just extremely picky, but Tuffy didn't touch that either. The reason comes to him late: Tuffy already has an owner, so someone is already feeding and taking care of her. Duh.

There's still a place for him in Tuffy's heart though—Jeno knows it. Jeno feels the affection rolling off of Tuffy in waves when he scratches behind her ears or when she climbs into his lap and takes a nap there. Tuffy's owner can suck it.

He knows Tuffy lives nearby because he always makes sure to watch the cats when they cross the street, looking out for cars or anything else that might harm them. But Tuffy always disappears from his line of sight early on, like a ninja in the night. Or late afternoon, in Jeno's case.

It's a Friday three months into his lease when he finally finds out where Tuffy lives.

He holds Tuffy in his arms so she can't get away while he's watching the other cats depart. When they're all out of sight, he sets Tuffy down with one last stroke of her fur and observes as Tuffy slinks into the shrubbery wall between his house and the neighbor's—the fairytale house.

Jeno slowly gets up to follow Tuffy, and then thinks better of it (how on earth is he going to get past the plant wall?) and goes to stand on the sidewalk, where there is a good vantage point of the front of the house. Tuffy jumps up to the open windowsill and stays there, tail swinging back and forth in content.

The oak door opens and a man his age appears, looking around for something. He glances at the window and smiles when he sees Tuffy there, so Jeno assumes he was looking for Tuffy.

Jeno makes to go home but before he can turn around, the man looks at him curiously. They lock gazes and the stranger smiles at him sweetly, doing a little bow before closing the door.

Jeno swears that he sees sparkles trailing in his wake.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Tuffy is a sweetheart.

Jeno cannot articulate how much he loves Tuffy. He has never loved anyone in his life as much as he loves Tuffy.

(That's a lie, but Jeno is too overcome with feelings to retract the statement.)

Jeno has even made her a short poem entitled "Tuffy is Fluffy", which he recites to her everyday as she lounges in his lap while he sits cross-legged by his doorway, watching the neighborhood cats feast on whatever Jeno had for dinner. Tuffy is a big cat, so when Jeno leans forward, he gets a noseful of fur. He thanks his lucky stars that his fur allergy has miraculously disappeared over the years (or so he hopes).

Jeno can't explain it—Tuffy is just...so _good_. The embodiment of everything lovely. A figure of all things right with the world. When Tuffy meows, his world is brighter. When Tuffy lies down, he finds inner peace. When Tuffy nudges his hand and silently tells him to put it on her head, he feels his heart burst out of his chest.

Tuffy loves to sunbathe, and she can usually be found sitting on his neighbor's windowsill. She stays there and humors Jeno with a lazy meow whenever he comes by to say goodbye to her on his way to work, and she is still there when Jeno comes home, tired and loathing everything. Tuffy lightens his mood by jumping off the windowsill and walking over to him, rubbing her head against his leg. She walks him to his door and watches him enter, not leaving until he peeks through the window and gives her a little thumbs up. Tuffy seemingly nods her head and goes on her merry way.

No offense to Tuffy's owner, but he likes to think Tuffy's grown as fond of him as he has of her.

Speaking of Tuffy's owner, Jeno doesn't see him until a month after their first meeting, if Jeno can even call it that.

He bumps into him on the way home from work, actually. They share the same bus. The man waves in his direction jovially and extends his arm for a handshake with too much energy for a guy who is presumably on the way home after a full day of work. "I'm Donghyuck, it's so nice to meet you!"

"Lee Jeno. A pleasure," Jeno answers curtly, not wanting to draw attention to themselves out on public transpo. Donghyuck gets the message and keeps quiet on the rest of the way home.

Donghyuck starts up the conversation again as soon as they get off the bus. "You're new here, aren't you?" Donghyuck grins so wide he could probably count how many teeth he has if he stayed still for long enough. (A normal adult has 32, if Jeno remembers correctly from that one encyclopedia he read in middle school.)

Jeno tries to match Donghyuck's lengthy stride. Damn, he walks fast. "Yeah, I just moved here a couple of months ago."

"How exciting!" Donghyuck turns around to face him, walking backwards. Jeno makes sure to check if there are any cars nearby, like he does for the stray cats. Donghyuck gives off stray cat energy, in Jeno's opinion. "How do you like it so far?"

"Everything has been wonderful. The people have all been lovely, and the place itself isn't shoddy at all."

Donghyuck frowns at him jokingly. "Come now, don't talk so formally! We're more or less the same age, aren't we?"

"Depends. 2000?"

Donghyuck winks at him cheekily. "Must have been a blessed year, to have both you and me."

Jeno can't help but laugh, and he doesn't stop until they're standing outside their respective houses. Donghyuck is good company; he's bubbly and cheerful, telling Jeno about his favorite dining places nearby and promising to make him an area map better than the one in the flimsy brochure he was given by the homeowners' organization when he first moved in. Donghyuck tells Jeno stories too, ranging from commuting woes to the legend of the big metasequoia tree a couple of blocks down from their street.

("Don't stay out too late, okay?" Donghyuck warns him as they traverse the sidewalk. "Lest you want to meet the white lady who guards the giant redwood tree." Donghyuck gestures towards the silhouette of a tree, towering over houses and blocking the view of the moon from their angle. There's an eerie air about it that Jeno feels even from so far away, so he nods aggressively and takes Donghyuck's advice to heart.)

Donghyuck also mentions the catastrophe brought about by the abundance of stray cats in the area, and Jeno's eyes light up. "Where do they all come from?"

Donghyuck moves around a lamppost in the middle of the sidewalk. "We don't know. But they don't usually cause any trouble, so lots of the residents don't mind. Until the cats start meowing altogether at midnight," Donghyuck elbows Jeno's side. "Do you hear the felines sing, singing a song of lively cats? It is the music of a species who will meow all night again!"

Jeno lets out a loud laugh, clutching onto a random fence for support. Donghyuck is funny, and Donghyuck is sweet. Is this the same Donghyuck who lives in what people treat like a haunted house?

When they reach Jeno's house, Tuffy is already waiting by the curb. She meows when she sees them, going up to Donghyuck to nuzzle against his leg, and then she does the same to Jeno. Donghyuck clutches his chest dramatically. "Tuffy, my Tuffy, why have you forsaken me?" He falls on the sidewalk with a flourish and Tuffy just meows in response, uninterested in anything other than Jeno's shoelaces. Jeno lets her swipe at his shoes.

"I assume you're well acquainted with Miss Tuffy over here," Donghyuck says as he picks Tuffy up and cradles her in his arms. "That's odd, she usually doesn't take kindly to strangers."

Jeno smiles when Tuffy sticks out her head, looking at Jeno with wide eyes. "I suppose I'm not just a random stranger, then," Jeno remarks, scratching between Tuffy's ears. Tuffy purrs in content. "Was she a stray?"

Donghyuck tilts his head, hoisting Tuffy up to eye level. "I'm not sure," he says, bouncing Tuffy up and down a couple of times like a parent would a newborn child. Tuffy does not look amused. "One day she was just there, I guess, and now we're family. You could say she's a stray from that definition, but it doesn't really matter."

"Of course it doesn't," Jeno agrees. "What does Tuffy do when you're at work?"

Donghyuck casts him a confused look and then he looks down at himself, at his slightly crinkled suit. "Oh, I usually work from home! Tuffy just roams free whether or not I'm there, though. That's how she met you, right?" Donghyuck grins at Jeno, a smile so blinding he almost thinks the sun descended on him instead of in the west. "I get called into the office weekly, but aside from those days and whenever I feel like it, you won't be seeing me outside."

"Oh." Jeno almost jumps at the sadness of his own tone.

"Why do you sound so sad? You could see me everyday if you like! All you have to do is come over." Donghyuck winks at him as he steps away, moving towards his own home. "See you around? Tuffy will be waiting for you!"

Jeno figures that it's his turn to play coy. "Only Tuffy?"

Donghyuck doesn't back down. "Come over and see, pretty boy," he says with a gleam in his eye, and Jeno thinks about it until he tucks himself to sleep. 

He'll need to have a talk with the little girl next door about his new allegedly witchy friend. Someone that cute cannot possibly have an ounce of evil in their veins.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Tuffy is a creature of the sun, Jeno notices. 

The few times Jeno had been called in to work early at dawn, the sky still dark and the stars still shining, Tuffy is understandably not lounging by the windowsill, as Jeno has been accustomed to. However, when Jeno clocks in overtime and goes home when the sun has already set, in a hurry to avoid an encounter with the spirit of the redwood tree, Tuffy isn't there as well. Tuffy isn't anywhere in sight during rainy days either. But as long as the sun is out, as long as sunlight spills down on them, Tuffy claims the windowsill and lets her tail swing idly.

Jeno makes a habit of passing by Donghyuck's house on his way to the bus stop despite his destination being the other way just to pet Tuffy. No, he most certainly does _not_ do it to catch a glimpse of Donghyuck waltzing with his broom as he cleans his sitting area, humming a tune Jeno vaguely recognizes. And he just _happens_ to pass by just as Donghyuck is outside watering his plants, Tuffy's beloved sun rays hitting him just right and wrapping him in an ethereal glow as he sings to his floral friends, his voice sonorous and golden.

Tuffy is his purpose for coming to Donghyuck's humble abode everyday. No other reason, he tells himself as he scratches behind Tuffy's ears, trying his hardest not to look at the man wrecking his kitchen apart looking for a snack to give Jeno, since he woke up late and didn't have time for a proper breakfast. Tuffy's meow is filled with judgment as she watches him watch Donghyuck, and Jeno shushes her with a good belly rub.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Donghyuck's home is something straight out of a storybook.

Jeno thought it was only aesthetically pleasing on the outside, but the interior is very lovely. The walls are cement, which explains why it has stood for as long as it supposedly has, but they've been painted white and various murals decorate it, not leaving any space blank. The sitting room is cozy, and the seats are placed right next to a massive fireplace. The kitchen doesn't look too big, but it's not cluttered either. An oak cupboard spans the length of the kitchen wall, and in the farthest corner of his kitchen counter, a giant pot sits. It almost looks like...a cauldron?

Jeno finds himself wondering what Donghyuck's room looks like.

"So, neighbor," Donghyuck's voice echoes throughout the house. "I have invited you here today because," Donghyuck pops his head out from where it has disappeared behind the counter, holding out a tray of freshly baked cookies. "I have treats!"

The cookies smell heavenly, and Jeno's stomach rumbles involuntarily. He coughs to cover it up as Donghyuck slides the cookies off the cooling rack and onto a plate. "Are you allergic to anything? I have chocolate chip, walnuts, raisins, oatmeal, mint; there's even gluten-free ones." 

"I'm good with anything, thanks. Why'd you make so many?"

"I'm thinking of giving these away to the kids at the orphanage downtown! Not now, but tomorrow. I visit once every two months, sometimes more if I can. I usually bake during the morning of the day, but I wanted to try them out first. I've only made chocolate chip before, so I wanted to see if the other flavors would taste good."

"Oh, so I'm your guinea pig for today?"

"A willing one," Donghyuck smiles as he skips over, setting the cookies done on the table in front of Jeno. "Bon appetit!"

Jeno grabs a mint one and takes a big bite. "Thank you for inviting me here," Jeno says through a mouthful of cookie. "Oh god, that tastes incredible."

"I'm honored." Donghyuck munches on a chocolate chip cookie. "Figured you might be curious what the interior looks like, since you peek inside so often."

Jeno doesn't expect that. He chokes, and Donghyuck pats his back worriedly. Donghyuck gets up and runs to the fridge as Jeno struggles to dislodge the cookie crumbs in his windpipe. He's gotten most of them out when Donghyuck returns with a tall glass of ice water, and Jeno chugs like his life depends on it. (Technically, it kind of does.)

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be intrusive," Jeno apologizes profusely, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Don't worry about it! Allow me to give you a grand tour—oh, I haven't done one of these in ages!" Donghyuck tugs at his arm. His touch is kind and gentle, and Jeno lets himself be whisked away.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Jeno's days are filled with work and Tuffy, and consequently, Donghyuck.

It's a beautiful Saturday morning. Tuffy is lazing on the kitchen counter today, forfeiting the window seat she'd claimed long before Jeno had met her. He's not vain enough to claim that he is better than the warmth of the sun and that's why Tuffy isn't at her regular station, but the way Tuffy purrs when he scratches under her chin gives him a little confidence boost.

He and Donghyuck are sorting through herbs and spices, segregating them meticulously. Jeno's vision is starting to blur as he desperately tries to match the plant in his hand with pictures from Google. It's shockingly hard to determine which herb is which, especially when most of them look alike. Donghyuck is happy to answer his questions, but Jeno feels like he's being more of a bother than help.

He sighs in defeat, placing two identical stems with tiny lanceolate leaves next to each other and tapping Donghyuck on the shoulder. "Hey, are these chervils or thymes? Or are they one of each? I can't tell, I'm sorry."

"Don't be!" Donghyuck leans over, close enough that Jeno could sniff his hair inconspicuously. It smells like peppermint.

"This one," Donghyuck picks up the herb on the right and places it near his nose, "is a chervil." He sets the chervil down and picks up the other herb. "This one's thyme, I'm sure. They look and smell a bit similar so I understand your confusion, but chervil smells strongly like anise! Thyme smells a bit...spicier? I don't know how to explain it exactly, but it smells like essential oils. Eucalyptus would be a good example for how thyme smells like. Here," Donghyuck holds out the thyme, bringing it just under Jeno's nose. "Take a big whiff, Jen."

Jeno does as he's told, and he's hit with a therapeutic scent. Comparing it to essential oils hit the nail on the head. "You're right," Jeno whispers, not wanting to break to break the peaceful ambience.

"Thanks for the help, Jen." Donghyuck's voice is a whisper too, and his smile is tender. 

The spell is broken when Jeno hears the door open. The movement is slow, the door hinges creaking and edges scraping the floor. When the door is fully open, there's no one there.

Jeno stares at Donghyuck, wide-eyed. "Didn't you lock that?"

Donghyuck shrugs nonchalantly. "Must've forgotten." He goes back to perusing herbs, and Jeno tries to shake off the chill going down his spine.

When a floating, glowing blue orb appears next to Donghyuck out of nowhere, Jeno falls off his stool.

"Jeno?!" Donghyuck helps him up, dusting his clothes off. "Are you okay?"

The blue light is still there, pulsing in the brightness of daytime. Jeno pointedly stares at it. "What is _that_?" Jeno tries to keep his voice from shaking. 

"A friend." Donghyuck looks unbothered as he says so, shifting through his stack of various leaves. He pulls out a stem with small, yellow buds, and he offers it to the blue light. "St. John's wort for courage, as requested. One not bloomed, signifying a beginning. Have fun and stay safe on your journey, dear friend."

The blue light flashes once, twice, and then it disappears. Jeno blinks and gold coins appear on the counter. Another blink and the open door is closed, and he's sure neither he or Donghyuck stood up to do it. He rubs his eyes and stares at Donghyuck, who has gone back to his precious herbs, ignoring the small stack of coins. "What...what just happened?"

Donghyuck hums breezily. "Well, what do you think?"

"Was that a wisp? A spirit? Donghyuck, I think your house is haunted." Jeno tries to shrink in his seat, making himself as small as possible. He stares at the closed door with trepidation.

Donghyuck lets out a laugh, light and airy. "No worries, I won't let anything hurt you. But if you're uncomfortable, I can ask them to stop coming whenever I have company."

"Ask...them...who's them? No, wait, I don't wanna know. Thank you, though." Jeno slumps down, burying his head in his hands. "I think I need a nap."

"You can lie down on the sofa if you're tired! I'm really sorry, Jen." When Jeno lifts his head and meets Donghyuck's gaze, he sees a hint of sorrow. It's not a good look on Donghyuck, so Jeno sucks in a breath and gives him the biggest smile he can muster. "I'm joking, let's get back to work, okay? What do you need all these herbs and spices for, anyway? You planning on outdoing KFC's eleven for their chicken?"

Donghyuck laughs again. It's a sweet sound—not as sweet as his voice, which is pure honey, but a bit more tart, a squeeze of citrus. It's music to his ears.

Donghyuck explains that he needs it for his side business, and Jeno nods in understanding. He keeps glancing around warily in case another color-coded spirit decides to pay them a visit, but he relaxes once Tuffy makes her way closer to him and climbs down into his lap. She lifts her head to his hand, nuzzling it until Jeno places it on her. Tuffy is a comforting weight, and the thread of fear lingering around him unwinds. He eases up and makes stupid puns to hear Donghyuck laugh again, and he strokes Tuffy's fur lightly, reverently, hoping to convey his thankfulness in his touch.

It's a beautiful Saturday morning, and Jeno is spending it the best way possible—with Tuffy in his lap and Donghyuck chattering away. He wouldn't trade it for the world.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

The next time Jeno spies something fishy going on, it's because there are literal fish. Donghyuck carries a small bowl of goldfish in his hands, and Jeno is somehow not surprised. "New pets?"

"I'm gonna make them fly, Jeno." Donghyuck says it with so much determination that Jeno lets out a loud laugh. "How are you gonna do that, Hyuckster?"

"Watch and learn." Donghyuck sets the goldfish down on the fold-out table he had asked to borrow from Jeno. They're outside today, in the middle of Donghyuck's garden. It's more impressive than Jeno thought, nature spilling into Donghyuck's tiny space. Green as far as Jeno's eyes can see, with splashes of color from the variety of fruits and flowers present. Endless rows of trees and shrubs and dirt patches. It's a wonder they all fit in 500-ish square feet's worth of space.

Donghyuck had asked Tuffy to stay by the windowsill, afraid that Tuffy might eat the fish, and Tuffy had marched over to the window, jumped up, and closed her eyes without a protest. What a good girl.

Donghyuck rolls up his sleeves, gesturing for Jeno to stand back. Jeno indulges him and steps away as far as he can, ending up next to the pitcher plant tree in the farthest corner of the garden.

That's weird. Jeno knows from his one semester of botany that pitcher plants don't grow in South Korea.

Donghyuck coughs to gain Jeno's attention. He waves his hands around, imitating the breeze, and Jeno almost calls out to ask if he's done airbending when water rises up from the glass bowl, carrying the goldfish in its current.

Jeno is rooted to the ground, his gaze jumping from the levitating fluid to Donghyuck's happy grin. Donghyuck flicks his wrists and the water encircles him, the fish swimming like there's nothing wrong. Oh how Jeno wishes he were just a fishy without a care in the world, not needing to worry about Donghyuck potentially drowning in stale fish water.

Donghyuck waves his hand and the water leaves him and swirls around the air instead, following Donghyuck's ministrations. The goldfish bob in and out of the water currents, completely unfazed. Jeno wishes he was as calm and collected as them.

The fish _are_ flying, in a sense. Donghyuck's grin is haughty as he shouts, "So? Still think I can't?"

Jeno rolls his eyes and approaches him carefully, as to not startle Donghyuck or the goldfish. "You sure you should be showing off like that?"

Donghyuck snaps his fingers and all of a sudden the water is back in the bowl, the goldfish safe and intact. Amused smiles settle on both Jeno and Donghyuck's faces. The sun shines a little brighter, the wind blows a little harder, and Jeno's heart beats a little louder. Donghyuck looks good like this, brimming with confidence and pride.

Donghyuck breaks away first, kneeling down to check on the fish. Jeno lets his eyes stray to the sidewalk and his eyes go as wide as saucers.

The little girl from his first week of moving in is standing in front of Donghyuck's house, mouth hanging open and eyes shining. "Can you do that again?" She asks Donghyuck, voice full of excitement.

Donghyuck's smile is dazzling as he flicks his wrist again, water flowing into his arms. The fish must be dizzy by now, but Jeno can't bring himself to care when the little girl claps her hands and squeals in delight.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

It's magic.

Donghyuck never tells Jeno outright, but Jeno deduces it. It's not exactly a secret, but Donghyuck doesn't speak of it, choosing for his powers to speak for itself.

The day after Donghyuck's fishy magic trick, he catches Donghyuck throwing ingredients into the cauldron that had captured his attention the first time he set foot in Donghyuck's home. It could be easily assumed that he was just really enthusiastic about cooking until Jeno comes closer and sees what Donghyuck had been adding to the pot: beetles, multiple colored feathers, a splash of glittery milk. A couple of mushrooms that Jeno _knows_ are poisonous, something that looks like a claw, and sprigs of herbs. Donghyuck welcomes him cheerfully and pushes a book in his direction when he takes a seat at the counter.

The book is open to a page entitled **TO FIX A BROKEN HEART** , and Jeno raises an eyebrow.

"For a customer," Donghyuck replies to Jeno's silent question. "These kinds of potions are what I find hardest to create, since they bring a lot of negative energy. Regret and frustration and all." Donghyuck stops stirring and leans over the counter, and suddenly Donghyuck's face is only a hair's breadth away. If Jeno moves forward the slightest bit, their lips would touch. His face burns at the thought.

"You're a bundle of good energy, so having you here while I create this makes me feel a lot better." Donghyuck's tone is soft. The air is still around them, and it's so quiet that Jeno can hear Tuffy's snores as she naps by the window. "Thanks for coming over, Jen."

Jeno swears that he sees stars in Donghyuck's eyes, and he's merely a starstruck fool. "Always a pleasure," he says as softly as he can, barely more than a murmur.

Jeno has always thought that Donghyuck's smiles were pretty, but the smile Donghyuck gives him at that moment is the most beautiful of all.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Jeno doesn't know where Tuffy ties into this. At first Jeno thought that Tuffy is definitely just a regular cat, cute and fluffy and a little bit of a brat.

That train of thought changes when he enters Donghyuck's house on a perfectly sunny day, wondering where the hell Tuffy is, and sees her lazily controlling a pillar of colored smoke.

Tuffy is bobbing her head, her tail swaying the same direction as the smoke tower. The smoke changes colors as Tuffy meows, and Jeno thinks he's lost his mind.

So Jeno does what any person would do when faced with a demonic cat. He screams, and then he runs out of the house.

Donghyuck hears the commotion and follows him outside. "Jeno, what happened?"

"Tuffy!" Jeno throws his arms out and flails them around. "Tuffy!"

"What happened to Tuffy?"

"Hyuck, we've got to get you out of there, there's something going on with Tuffy! I think she's possessed, if not straight up evil! Hyuck, I know you love her—I do too!—and this sounds bonkers but you cannot be left alone with Tuffy right no—"

Jeno notices Donghyuck covering his mouth in an attempt to subdue his laughter. He doesn't like that for two reasons: (1) he likes hearing Donghyuck laugh and (2) this is no laughing matter! If Jeno were more dramatic he would have faked passing out so Donghyuck would take him to hospital, or anywhere away from Tuffy.

Then again, that could backfire and Donghyuck might decide to take him inside, where Tuffy is still busy, if the colorful smoke seeping out of the windows is any indication.

"Jeno." Donghyuck approaches him, eyes twinkling with mirth. He takes Jeno's hands and tugs him back to his house. "Let's have some tea, alright? I think there's something I forgot to tell you."

Tuffy is a familiar.

Donghyuck's explanation of what happened is that Tuffy was simply making a spell **FOR FAVORABLE WEATHER** , as Donghyuck's spellbook puts it. Considering Tuffy's fondness for sunny days, Jeno immediately believes it.

Tuffy does not look happy at being called a hellspawn, but she doesn't hiss or scratch Jeno when he attempts to pet her in apology. She eyes him with disappointment, but otherwise she doesn't react.

"If you were anyone else, she might have torn you to shreds right about now," Donghyuck jokes. Jeno doesn't doubt it.

"Tuffy must like me a lot, then." When Tuffy nuzzles his hand in response, Jeno giggles. And when he raises his head, Donghyuck is gazing at him with a look that turns his insides to mush. "That makes two of us," Donghyuck remarks, taking a sip from his teacup and leaving Jeno to wonder.

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

The thought occurs to Jeno as he and Donghyuck work in the garden, pruning and watering plants. Tuffy is by his feet, circling his legs restlessly. "Hyuck, does Tuffy talk?"

"She can," Donghyuck tells him as he showers a rose bush. "She prefers not to, though. She likes the quiet."

"Oh." Jeno crouches down to comb his fingers through Tuffy's fur. She purrs in delight, and Jeno puts the garden shears down to pick her up. "So what does Tuffy do, exactly?" Jeno rocks Tuffy in his arms, and the cat's eyes start to droop. "Does she have magic too? What is the purpose of familiars?"

Donghyuck stops watering the dahlias he was working on, pondering the question for longer than Jeno would have liked. Jeno almost thinks he's said something out of line until Donghyuck lets out a soft chuckle, resuming his watering operation. "They amplify magic and keep us company. That's all I think they do."

Tuffy opens her eyes and hisses, making Donghyuck laugh. Jeno has to put her down before she starts clawing at him.

"They're protectors, essentially." Tuffy walks towards Donghyuck and bumps his leg with her head repeatedly, as a punishment of sorts. Donghyuck puts the watering can down and sits on the grass, gesturing for Jeno to sit next to him. Tuffy sprawls out in front of them, and Donghyuck scratches her tummy. "Protectors of magic and magicians. I don't know much about the familiar system, but that's their main prerogative, I think. I don't know how the choosing system works, either; Tuffy just came up to me one day, and here we are." 

"How old were you when you met?" Jeno asks as Tuffy gets up and sneaks in between Donghyuck and Jeno, burying her nose into Jeno's side while Donghyuck plays with her tail. "I was 10 years old. I remember it well, because I'm one of the youngest ever to gain a familiar."

"What age do people—sorry, witches—usually gain familiars then?"

"During adolescence." Donghyuck snorts. "Let me tell you, I know a cousin or two who were pretty pissed that I got mine as a snotty pre-teen."

"Did they try to do something about it?"

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. "Please, I can't even count the number of times Tuffy has disappeared under _mysterious circumstances._

"Tuffy always comes back, though," Donghyuck adds before Jeno can say anything. "That's just how the familiar bond works, I guess. Me and Tuffy forever and ever." Donghyuck rubs behind Tuffy's ears and Tuffy purrs in satisfaction. He smiles fondly at the cat, and then at Jeno. "I don't think either of us have an objection to that."

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Life is good when you have a superpowered friend.

More accurately, at least to Jeno, life is good when you have a Donghyuck.

Donghyuck invites Jeno to meals when Jeno can't be bothered to cook for himself. Donghyuck wishes him a safe journey every morning when he leaves for work, sneaking a protection amulet or two into Jeno's bag. Donghyuck even comes over to help Jeno with his chores.

And where Donghyuck is, Tuffy follows. That's something Jeno learns is part of the familiar bond; they're absolutely inseparable.

"Magic is good, in small doses," Donghyuck tells him as they hang Jeno's clothes to dry. "It makes lots of things easier, from chores to bills to shopping. It helps a lot at work too; if I don't want to hear my coworkers argue with the new intern about how he made the boss' coffee order too bitter, I will simply mute them. After getting the intern kid out of the crossfire, of course. But that's not much of a problem, since I only go to the office once a week."

"Lucky you."

"Lucky me," Donghyuck agrees, stepping away from the clothesline. "I could wave my hand and all of these would be dry and folded, ready to wear." Donghyuck flicks his wrist and Jeno's favorite hoodie flies out of the soggy pile in the laundry basket. It twists in the air, water evaporating from it like a magic trick. Jeno blinks and then the hoodie is neatly folded, still levitating within arms' reach. "But that would be taking advantage of a gift, and that's never a good idea." The hoodie falls into Donghyuck's arms.

"I'm keeping this, by the way," Donghyuck hugs the hoodie to his chest. "It smells clean and good, just like you."

Jeno glares at him to hide his blush. "That's my favorite hoodie."

"And now it's _my_ favorite hoodie, yay! Besides, you've got like ten in the pile we have yet to hang up."

Jeno groans as he acknowledges the mini mountain of clothing still in the laundry basket. "I'm tired," Jeno whines. "Can't we take a break?"

"It wouldn't accumulate so much if you did your laundry regularly," Donghyuck taunts, sticking his tongue out like a preschooler. Jeno can't think of any counter arguments so he just sighs in despair, resigning himself to his fate.

 _You smell clean and good too. It's like all the good things in the world found comfort in you_ , Jeno thinks, grabbing another hanger. _Just like how I've found comfort in you._

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Donghyuck is in trouble.

That's the first thing Jeno thinks when Tuffy shows up in his bedroom on a Saturday morning. Tuffy is resting her weight on Jeno's chest, meowing loudly and licking his face. When he's awake enough to notice, Tuffy's eyes are wide and there's something akin to panic in them.

Tuffy never leaves Donghyuck's house on Saturdays. They're Tuffy's Beauty Rest Days, as Donghyuck likes to call them. So Tuffy being here and _without_ Donghyuck is already a red flag.

Jeno waits for Tuffy to jump off of him before launching into action, grabbing whatever shirt is nearest and slipping it on along with his glasses. He doesn't even remember to wear shoes or slippers as he runs out the door, his bare feet scraping against the pavement.

Donghyuck's door is locked but the window is open, as always. Jeno has often wondered how Donghyuck doesn't get robbed when his house has such an obvious opening, but Donghyuck assured him that there was a protection spell shielding the house.

Maybe the spell had worn off. Maybe someone had been immune to the spell. Maybe someone had tricked the spell's filtering system and made it believe that the person had good intentions. All sorts of scenarios enter Jeno's mind, and he dreads the worst as Tuffy crawls through the window and unlocks the front door. Jeno runs up the polished, wooden stairs to Donghyuck's bedroom.

It's empty.

The bed is neatly made, though. Jeno doesn't have a good enough grasp of Donghyuck's belongings to check if anything is missing, but Donghyuck's wallet is safe in his drawer and the porcelain pot Donghyuck keeps the golden coins and gems he gets from his supernatural customers is exactly where Donghyuck hides it, at the back of his wardrobe. Donghyuck's phone is charging on his dresser. Jeno doesn't know if it's good or bad that it's there.

He hears loud, distressed meowing from downstairs, and Jeno rushes towards it.

Donghyuck is sprawled out on the floor of his kitchen slash makeshift potions lab, eyes closed but with a soft smile adorning his face. Tuffy nudges his face with her nose, her whiskers brushing his cheeks, and he giggles in his sleep.

Jeno squats down. "Donghyuck. Donghyuck, wake up."

Donghyuck grumbles, but he only shuffles away from Jeno.

Jeno lightly pats his cheeks. "Donghyuck."

Donghyuck hums, curling into a ball. He doesn't make any more sounds, falling deeper into slumber with the smile still on his face.

Jeno stands up, running his fingers through his hair. He spots Donghyuck's heavy spellbook book propped up against the wall, next to a variety of ingredients and spices. When Jeno comes closer, he sees that the book is open to a page containing two spells with similar recipes: **TO MAKE THE INDECISIVE DECISIVE** and **A SPELL FOR SLUMBER**.

Only one ingredient distinguishes them from each other: unicorn tears. Donghyuck must have accidentally mixed them up. According to the spellbook, the sleeping spell emits a dreamy pastel pink color, while the decisive spell is royal blue. The cauldron next to the book is empty, save for lingering pink residue stuck to the sides of the pot.

They should be glad that it's only a sleeping spell. That's the first thought that enters Jeno's mind as he skims the recipe. The affected dreams of their desires, and they're whisked away to a land of fancy. However, if the affected finds the dream so coveted that they don't want it to end, the affected may never wake up at all.

Tuffy jumps up on the counter, and Jeno holds his hands out to keep her from falling off. She sits on her hind legs and uses her paws to flip through the book. Before Jeno can offer to do it himself, she stops at a page and looks at Jeno meaningfully. 

**TO WAKE A SLEEPING SWEETHEART** , the page reads. Jeno hopes the sweetheart part is a figure of speech.

Jeno shifts through his limited options quickly. Obviously Tuffy can't make the spell, because she's a cat. No hands, no fingers, no dexterity whatsoever.

But she can guide him to its completion.

Jeno remembers Donghyuck saying that one doesn't need magical powers to create potions. "All you need is determination, and you'll succeed," Donghyuck told him as he tossed chopped water lily pads into his concoction. "You should make one with me sometime!"

Jeno inhales deeply, and he faces the spellbook with steely resolve. He's going to have to make the waking potion himself.

Jeno's hands shake as he reaches for what he thinks is sandalwood. Tuffy watches him with observant eyes, making sounds of disapproval whenever Jeno bumps into something or whenever his hands graze against an item not found in the recipe.

He double-checks, triple checks, quadruple checks the spellbook. He looks at Tuffy for approval whenever he intends to add something to the mixture, and he takes pride in the fact that Tuffy hasn't criticized any of his actions yet.

Maybe Donghyuck was onto something when he invited Jeno to make potions with him.

The book says the spell is ready when it emits a burgundy smoke, so when the smoke emerges, he immediately scoops some of the substance up with a ladle and pours it into one of the many vials in Donghyuck's cupboard. He kneels down beside Donghyuck's limp form, and Tuffy stations herself by Donghyuck's head.

Jeno mistakenly takes a sniff of the elixir in his hand and immediately regrets it. Who knew that the smell of reality, of coming to, would be as foul as garbage? If it smells this bad, it probably tastes worse.

He gently pours the substance in between Donghyuck's parted lips, and he feels sorry for him. If Donghyuck doesn't wake up upon consuming this, Jeno assumes that he either sleeps like the dead or really _is_ dead. 

When Donghyuck's eyes finally flutter open, Jeno feels like the air is punched out of his lungs. He cradles Donghyuck's head as he waits for him to regain full consciousness, and Tuffy deflates from her tense stance.

"Jeno," Donghyuck smiles, looking up at Jeno affectionately. Jeno brushes it off as one of the side effects of the sleeping potion, because there's no way the waking potion that smells like literal rubbish would make him this happy and carefree. "I had the most marvelous dream."

"I'm glad you did," Jeno mumbles, stroking strands of hair away from Donghyuck's forehead. "Don't scare us like that again, alright?"

"You saved me, Jeno!" Donghyuck leans over to encapsulate Jeno in his arms, squeezing tightly. "You're my hero. But my dream was so wonderful. I didn't want it to end."

Donghyuck's words are still muddled from sleep. Jeno rubs his back, supporting Donghyuck's weight as he continues to cling onto him. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we need you here, okay? I don't think Tuffy has had breakfast yet."

The laugh that greets him is a bit dazed, so Jeno pulls back to look at Donghyuck. "Are you okay? Should we get you to bed? No matter how nice your dream was, I don't think it was worth spending a night on the floor."

Donghyuck doesn't answer his question. Instead, he smiles at Jeno, dripping honey and saccharine sweet. "It was such a wonderful dream," Donghyuck repeats. "I dreamed of you, Jen."

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Nothing happens after that.

Jeno is slightly disappointed. Donghyuck's words were basically a confession, right? Or was that a bro thing?

He waits a week, and then two. Donghyuck doesn't bring it up, and he doesn't either. Jeno huffs as he sulks on his living room couch, TV tuned in to a random cartoon show.

His phone pings with a notification, and Jeno almost falls off the couch when he sees who it is from.

**Tuffy Best Girl**

come overrrr :(

Jeno doesn't hesitate—he just rushes outside (with slippers on this time) and knocks on Donghyuck's door.

"Jeno!" Donghyuck greets him with a hug. "Finally! We haven't seen you in two weeks. Tuffy got sad."

Tuffy meows impassively, circling Jeno's feet but not showing much excitement. "You sure she missed me?" Jeno asks Donghyuck, and Donghyuck's face burns. "Yeah, fine, okay, I missed you more than she did. Happy now?"

Jeno doesn't miss a beat. "Yeah."

"Oh." Donghyuck coughs, opening the door wider so Jeno can come in. "I've got tea and cakes."

"Nice to know, but I came for the company and not the food. Though if you mentioned you had cake earlier, I would have ran all the way here."

"Please, you got here not five minutes after I sent you a text." Donghyuck lightly punches his shoulder. "Go sit down and pet Tuffy. She doesn't show it, but she missed you a lot."

"I missed you more though," Donghyuck tacks on before disappearing into the kitchen, and Jeno covers his face with his hands to get it to cool down.

Jeno hears the sound of rustling pots and pans, a soft "ow", and a string of complaints. Jeno snickers slightly as Tuffy makes herself comfortable in his lap. "Always getting into trouble, that kid," says a sharp voice Jeno doesn't recognize.

The next words come from the cat on his lap. "Lee Jeno," Tuffy says his name slowly, like she's testing how it rolls off her tongue.

Jeno feels tears well up in his eyes. Is this how a parent feels when their kid says their first words?

"Tuffy," Jeno's voice comes out warbly. "You're talking to me!"

"Heavens, you're even more dramatic than Hyuck." Tuffy rolls her eyes, but her tone is fond. "Yes, I'm talking. Just until Donghyuck is back, though. I tell him about how I noticed you haven't visited lately and suddenly there's a whole narrative about how it was mostly me who missed you instead of him."

Jeno nods aggressively, looking at Tuffy with reverence. She grooms herself before saying anything else, and Jeno's leg bounces up and down in anticipation for her next words.

"Thank you," Tuffy says. "For everything. Hyuck was so lonely before you came along, no matter how many times he tells me he wasn't."

"Thank you for taking care of him for so long," Jeno tells Tuffy, smiling as he does so, "but we're gonna share that responsibility now, okay?"

"Not a problem. Donghyuck is a handful, but I'm sure you already know that. And I say that with the utmost affection." Tuffy presses her nose into Jeno's hand. "That will be all from me."

"Hey, one more thing before you never speak to me ever again." Jeno straightens his back and pouts down at the cat. "Were you really just gonna meow your way through our Save Donghyuck mission?"

Tuffy shrugs, not an ounce of remorse in her system. "I was going to start yelling if you messed up, but I had faith in you. You proved that faith accurate.

"He likes you," Tuffy says after a heartbeat. "And you like him, don't you?"

Jeno nods again. Tuffy has the ability to turn him into a bobblehead, apparently. "Very much so."

"That's good."

Jeno holds out his hands, silently asking to lift Tuffy up. She holds out her paws and Jeno brings her to his eye level. "I am absolutely honored that you chose to speak to me," Jeno says, loud and clear. "It's a moment I'll remember forever. We'll work together and take care of Hyuck just like how he takes care of us, and I promise to take Donghyuck out on a date the next time he invites me to visit the orphanage."

"Must I wait that long? His next visit isn't until two more weeks."

"It's not that long," Jeno argues. "And I need time to come up with a plan. I will woo him so hard he will cry tears of joy, and you'll have to listen to him wail about how Lee Jeno is the bane of his existence for making him blush."

Jeno brings Tuffy back down to his lap, and she curls her tail around the arm Jeno uses to stroke her fur. "I'll be looking forward to it," Tuffy mumbles. "And maybe I'll talk to you again on your birthday, as a treat."

ੈ♡˳·˖✶

Donghyuck comes back with a teapot and two plates of different flavored cakes on a tray. He glances at Tuffy, who is dozing off in Jeno's lap. "Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Jeno shrugs as nonchalantly as he can. "Not really."

The secretive smile on his face that matches the one that forms on Tuffy's makes Donghyuck think otherwise, though.

**Author's Note:**

> My most sincere thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in this fest; from the kind and patient mod chocoball, to the ingenious prompters, to the fanstastic writers, to the amazing betas, and to the wonderful readers! Thank you to the prompter of #JD010 especially for such a lovely idea, and for allowing me to write the cottagecore fic I've always wanted to. I hope this fic made someone as happy as the writing process made me!
> 
> twt: [@whatsavotingacc](https://twitter.com/whatsavotingacc?s=09)


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